Leila islet crisis: it is blatant trickery, said Joe Bassano

Referring to the crisis between Morocco and Spain following the latter's military occupation of Leila island on Wednesday, Joe Bassano, leader of the Gibraltar Socialist Labour Party, said that "Britain cannot negotiate in good faith with Spain" over Gibraltar.

"Britain cannot negotiate in good faith with Spain as Spain has actually admitted it promised to resolve the Perijil (Leila) problem by diplomatic means so as to retain the element of surprise," Bassano, the leader of the major opposition party in Gibraltar, told British daily The Daily Mail.

Leanna Armstrong-Emery of the Independent Liberal Forum party in Gibraltar on her part said that "we should not be surprised to see Spain make promises and then break them. Over many years, they've reneged on their obligations and treaties." The Daily Mail writes that Spain's move was also a snub for the EU Commission, which had called less than 24 hours earlier for a diplomatic solution.